The Ukrainian language is an East Slavic language primarily spoken in Ukraine. It is the official state language and is used in government, education, and media. Ukrainian has its own unique alphabet, which is based on the Cyrillic script, and consists of 33 letters. Ukrainian is closely related to other Slavic languages, such as Russian and Polish, but it has distinct phonetic and grammatical features. The language has a rich literary tradition, with notable authors like Taras Shevchenko contributing to its development. Today, efforts are ongoing to promote and preserve the Ukrainian language, especially in the face of external influences.